Shirt.



Patented Feb. 25, I902. S. BUTZ.-

S H I R T.

(Application filed Dec. 15, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL BUTZ, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,133, dated February25, 1902. Application filed December 15, 1900- Serial No. 39,978- (Nomodelf;

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BUTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Easton, in the county of Northampton and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Shirt, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to shirts, and has special reference to thebosoms thereof,the object in view being to provide reliable meanswhereby the bosom of a shirt may be maintained at all times in properposition.

With an ordinary shirt-bosom there is always a tendency for the bosom tobulge and break, especially when a full-dress vest is being w'orn, therebeing nothing to hold the bosom fiat. Various expedients have beenresorted toto hold the bosom flat against the body and prevent it frombulging and breaking; but such devices have been for the most partundesirable and have in fact failed to accomplish the object for whichthey were designed. p

The present invention contemplates the use, in connection withashirthaving a permanent shirt-bosom and provided with pocketsextending alongthe opposite sides of the bosom, of stiffeners incased Within saidpockets for preventing the bosom from breaking down or bulgingtransversely and side tabs arranged at points intermediate the length ofthe bosom and adapted to be connected with suitable fasteners on theshirt, whereby the stiffeners are drawn in opposite directions or awayfrom each other, thus preventing the bosom from bulging and breakinglongitudinally. The stiffeners are preferablycurved to conformapproximately to the curvature of the body of the wearer, and by themeans to be hereinafter more particularly described the bosom as a wholeis stretched and held in a flat condition at all times.-

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a shirtconstructed in accordance with the present invention and shown appliedto the person. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the shirt removed from theperson, the tabs being disconnected and one of the pockets beingpartially broken away to show the contained stiffener. Fig. 3 is anenlarged detail cross-section through a portion of the shirt and bosomadjacent to one of the tabs.

Similar numerals of reference designate correspondingparts in all thefigures of the drawmgs.

In Fig. 1 I have for convenience in illustrating the nature of thepresent invention shown a shirt applied to a person with the tabsfastened back at each side of the bosom. 1 designates the shirt, and 2the bosom thereof, the said parts being of the ordinary construction,with the exception that elongated pockets 3 are formed at the oppositesides of the bosom to receive stifieners 4, the pockets being left openor unstitched at their upper ends in order that the stiffeners 4 may beinserted therein and removed therefrom, it being desirable to remove thestiffeners before sending the shirt to the laundry.

The pockets 3 may bound the side edges of the bosom or may be arrangedslightly within the side edges thereof, according to preference andaccording to the width of the bosom. In full-dress shirts, where bosomsof extra Widths are employed, the pockets for the stiffeners should bearranged at points somewhat remote from the side edges of the bosom inorder that they may not lose their effect. The pockets 3 may be formedby stitching the several plies or thicknesses of the bosom on parallellines, the spaces between the parallelrows of stitches forming thepockets, or said pockets may be separately formed and stitched orotherwise applied to the bosom. The stifieners 4 prevent the bosom frombulging or breaking transversely, and said stiff eners are preferablycurved longitudinally, so as to conform approximately to the curvatureof the chest.

Tabs 5 are connected to the side edges of the bosom at pointsintermediate the length thereof, said 'tabs projecting laterally fromthe bosom in opposite directions and being provided with buttonholes 6,adapted toconnect with buttons 7, secured to the sides of the shirt andpreferably adjacent to the lower portions of the armhole seams. As thesetabs are arranged close 'to the pockets which contain the stilfeners,Whenthe tabs are buttoned back, as shown in Fig. 1, there is a tendencyat all times to draw the stiffeners bosom from breaking down or bulgingtrans versely the tabs hold the bosom stretched transverselyand with theaid of the stiffeners prevent the bosom from breaking or bulginglongitudinally.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the bosom isheld effectively stretched and fiat against the body of the wearer atall times and that this desirable result is attained by the particularcombination which exists between the stiifeners and the tabs.' The twoelements combined in the manner described are therefore essential inorder to keep the bosom in perfect condition. It will also be understoodthat the improvement hereinabove described may be used in connectionwith shirts of open-front or closedbosom construction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ashirthavinga permanent bosom, pockets extending along opposite sidesof the bosom, stiffeners contained in said pockets, tabs extending inopposite directions from the bosom at points intermediate thelengththereof, and fastening means for said tabs whereby the shirt-bosomis held in shape throughout its entire length, substantially asdescribed.

2. A shirt comprising a permanent bosom, pockets extendinglongitudinally of the side edges of the bosom, stiffeners removablyfitted in said pockets, and laterally-extending tabs connected to thesides of the bosom and adapted to be secured to the shirt, whereby theshirt-bosom is held taut throughout its entire length, substantially asset forth.

3. A shirt comprising a permanent bosom, pockets extending alongopposite sides of the bosom, and arranged within-the side edges thereof,removable stiffeners contained within said pockets, andlaterally-projecting tabs connected to the sides of the bosom beyond thepockets and centrally disposed with respect to the pockets and havingfastening means by which they may be secured to thebody of the shirt,whereby the shirt-bosom is held taut throughout its entire length,substantially as described.

4. A shirt comprising a permanent bosom, pockets extending along thesides of the bosom and open at the top and closed at the bottom, curvedstiffeners removably inserted in said pockets, and laterally-projectingtabs secured to the sides of the bosom intermediate its length beyondthe pockets and having provision whereby they may be removably connectedwith the body of the shirt, whereby the shirt-bosom is held tautthroughout its entire length, substantially as described.

5. A shirt having its bosom and neckband formed as permanent partsthereof, longitudinal pockets-extendingthroughoutthe bosom alongopposite sides thereof, said pockets being open at the top and closed atthe bottom, longitudinally-curved stiifeners removably inserted in saidpockets, tabs arranged beyond the pockets and extending in oppositedirections from the bosom at points intermediate the lengths of thepockets, and fastening means for said tabs, whereby the shirtbosom isstiffened longitudinally and held transversely, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, SAMUEL BUTZ.

Witnesses:

CHAS. B. BRUNNER, JOHN BRUNNER.

